Wednesday, January 4, 2012

{Super Moist Banana Cake + Cream Cheese Frosting}

We had the most amazing slice of banana cake on our flight home from Portland last week (of all places!). The package said it was made by Eli's Cheesecake from Chicago. In any case, the tiny slice I had just wasn't enough, so ever since our plane ride I've been craving more banana cake. I stayed up late Monday night to bake one, and boy-oh-boy was it worth it. The recipe was so good I had to share it! I used this Joy the Baker recipe, which is actually for cupcakes. I used two 9-inch round cake pans and baked them for 30-35 mins. It worked great and I even had some batter leftover to make a few cupcakes, which Corey's coworkers enjoyed as a breakfast treat on Tuesday :)

Super Moist Banana Cake

1 cup butter, softened

2 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups ripe bananas, mashed

(about 4 medium bananas)

3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup walnuts, chopped

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chunks (I left these out)

Preheat the oven to 350. Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside. Mash the bananas and add the sour cream. Set aside. Cream the butter in the sugar until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each egg for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl after each addition. Add the flour mixture alternately with the banana mixture, until just combined. Fold in the nuts and chocolate. Bake in cupcake papers, or a well greased and floured cupcake pan for 15- 20

Place cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, soften cream cheese. Gradually add butter, and continue beating until smooth and well blended. Sift in confectioners' sugar, and continue beating until smooth. Add vanilla, and stir to combine.